Publications by authors named "A Wittkowski"

Introduction: Pregnancy and the postnatal period represent a time of heightened risk for women to experience mental health difficulties. Some mothers may require specialist inpatient psychiatric support made available through Mother and Baby units (MBUs). Although there is evidence of the therapeutic benefits of MBUs, many studies have utilised methodologies vulnerable to interviewer and social desirability biases.

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  • Stillbirth significantly affects parents psychologically, often leading them to fear and anxiety when they have another baby after experiencing such loss.
  • A study involving interviews with six couples revealed four main themes: the intense emotions surrounding the hope of bringing a live baby home, feeling overwhelmed by newborn demands, navigating complex feelings about both stillborn and living children, and managing parenting fears.
  • The findings highlight the emotional challenges in bonding with a subsequent baby and suggest that healthcare professionals should receive better training to support these families effectively.
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As attachment-based interventions can improve caregiver-infant relationships and their subsequent psychological outcomes, the identification of relevant and effective interventions can facilitate their implementation into clinical practice. This systematic review aimed to a) provide an overview of manualised attachment-based interventions, without video-feedback as the main component, for caregivers and infants from conception to two years, and b) determine which of these interventions were effective in demonstrating improvements in caregiver-infant relational outcomes. To identify eligible interventions and their empirical evidence base, two search stages were conducted for 1) relevant interventions and 2) studies of interventions identified in the first stage that focussed on caregiver-infant relational outcomes.

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  • The systematic review aimed to explore women's experiences and psychological impacts of Premenstrual Disorders (PMDs) like PMS and PMDD, along with their support needs.
  • The review analyzed 17 qualitative studies involving 479 women, revealing intense experiences and significant life changes due to PMDs, with identified themes related to their struggles and coping strategies.
  • The conclusion highlighted the need for healthcare professionals to better understand PMDs and refer women to appropriate specialist services, recognizing the personal responsibility women often take to manage their condition.
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